Self-locking electrical connecter



I s. B. SMITH 1,945,664

SELF LOCKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Feb. 6, 1934.

Filed Jan. 5, 1933 Inventor Baq 5 m Byww Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional 1s view through the socket and plug connecter.

' Fig. 2 represents an inside end elevational view of the plug part of the assembly.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of one of the prong units. go Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in Fig. 1, that numeral 5 represents the cylindrical body of the socket section while numeral 8 represents the di-electric body of the plug section. The plug section 6 has an opening 7 therethrough in which the conductor wires extend and connect by means of the binding screws 8 to the foot plate 9 of the spring prongs 10. These prongs and their foot plates 9 are constructed of sheet metal stamped outand each is provided at its outer ehd 'with an outwardly disposed flange 11. Suitable means 12 is employed for securing each of the foot plates 9 to the di-electric body 6.

Blidably disposed in radially extending bores inthe bodyBarethepushpins 12-12, the irmer ends of which abut the inner end portions of the prongs as in the manner substantially shown in Fig. 1.

Obviously the prongs 10 extend outwardly from theinnerendofthebodyflnthemannerclearly shown in rig. 1.

Thedi-electricbodyfiisprovided withapair of openings 13-16 extending therethrough. The coreportionidofthebodyomtrudesatits outer end and has there located a contact 15 which serves to anchor the oii'set end portion 16 oftheconductor strip l'itothe outer-end ofthis core portion 17. The conductor strip has an offset portion16formingatrough19anddeflninga shoulder 20, the same being provided with an extension having a curved end portion 21 over which the flanged end of one of the prongs 10 caneasilyrideinitsmovementtoreachthe shoulder 20, behind which it springs when the s bodies5and6srebroughtmuglytogether.

Numerslnrepresentsathresdsdformediachst of conductive material suitably secured to the outer end portion of the body 5 and to this is secured the conductor strip 23 by a suitable .to facilitate engagement of the other spring prong 10 against the same, so that the prong will be 66 under tension until'its flange 11 springs behind the corresponding shoulder 25.

- It can now be seen, that in assembling the separated connecter sections, the prongs are placed with their flanges 11 against the curved 70 portions 21 and 26 of the conductor strips 17 and 23 respectively and by exerting pressure, the body 6 can be forced toward the body 5 to the end that the flanges 11 will engage behind the shoulders and aforementioned.

When it is desired that the sections be separated, contraction of the prongs by the push pins 1212 will result in the disengagement of the flanges 11 from the shoulders 20-25 so that the prongs 10 can be quickly removed from the socket section.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

A connecter of the character described com- 00 prisinga socket member, a plug member, said plug member being provided with a pair of prongs each having a laterally disposed flange thereon, said socket section being provided with contact members therein, each of said contact members being provided with a shoulder, said flanges of the prongs being adapted to engage behind the shoulders of the said contacts, each of the said contacts being provided with a curved extension against which the said flanges can ride to tension the said prongs preparatory to engage behind the shoulders of said contacts.

BILAB BUD SMITH. 

